🎗️Lonny's War Update- October 536, 2023 - March 25, 2025 🎗️
🎗️Day 536 that 59 of our hostages in Hamas captivity
**There is nothing more important than getting them home! NOTHING!**
“I’ve never met them,But I miss them. I’ve never met them,but I think of them every second. I’ve never met them,but they are my family. BRING THEM HOME NOW!!!”
We’re waiting for you, all of you.
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
A deal is the only way to bring
all the hostages home- the murdered for burial and the living for rehabilitation.
#BringThemHomeNow #TurnTheHorrorIntoHope
There is no victory until all of the hostages are home!אין נצחון עד שכל החטופים בבית
Red Alerts - Missile, Rocket, Drone (UAV - unmanned aerial vehicles), and Terror Attacks and Death Announcements
*7:05pm- Gaza envelope- rockets-Sderot, Zikim, Nir Am, Ibim, Netiv Haasara, Karmia—Two rockets launched from the Gaza Strip at southern Israel were successfully intercepted by air defenses, the military says.
Sirens had sounded in Sderot and several nearby communities.
It marks the third rocket attack from Gaza on Israel since the military resumed its offensive against Hamas last week.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad claims responsibility for shooting the rockets.
*8:05pm - Jerusalem areas and Gush Dan areas - ballistic missile launched from Yemen - intercepted over Jordan with shrapnel that fell in some locations within Israel.
A ballistic missile launched at Israel by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen was successfully intercepted by air defenses, the military says.
The IDF says the missile was shot down before crossing the country's borders. Footage appears to show shrapnel falling down following the interception. video
There are no immediate reports of injuries or damage in the attack.
It marks the sixth Houthi attack on Israel in the past week.
Hostage Updates
There is only one deal that should be advanced - the deal that brings all of the hostages home in one week with 1-2 tranches - not more. Yes, that means ending the war and Israel withdrawing from Gaza. The Arab League - Egyptian plan for Gaza is a good base for the day after. But right now this deal needs to be adopted by President Trump because only he can tell Netanyahu to end the war and bring all of the hostages home. Yes, Egypt and Qatar can make sure that Hamas will accept it. No other deal should be advanced now. It is time for this saga to end now! (Gershon Baskin, March 22, 2025)
14 Abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz
Red - The Army has notified that they are no longer alive
Blue- Sign of Life Received
Gray - No Infomation or sign of life since October 7
16 abducted from the Nova Music Festival
6 abducted from Kibbutz Be'eri
2 abducted from Kibbutz Nachal Oz
2 abducted from Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak
4 abducted from parties in the Gaza Envelope
12 soldiers abducted
1 soldier abducted before October 7
Hamas publishes propaganda clip featuring hostages Elkana Bohbot and Yosef-Haim Ohana
People walk in the Carmel Market in Tel Aviv, on September 27, 2024, next to the market stand belonging to Elkana Bohbot, who was kidnapped from the Nova festival. (AP /Ohad Zwigenberg)Hamas publishes a propaganda video showing a sign of life from Israeli hostages Elkana Bohbot and Yosef-Haim Ohana, who were both kidnapped from the Nova festival on October 7 and are still being held in Gaza.
Hamas has previously issued similar videos of hostages it is holding, in what Israel says is deplorable psychological warfare.
The Hostage Families Forum asks that Israeli media not publish the video or stills from the clip until the family approves them.
Family of hostage Elkana Bohbot: You can see in video that ‘he is in bad shape’
Hostage Elkana Bohbot seen in a Hamas propaganda video released on March 24, 2025. (Screenshot)The family of hostage Elkana Bohbot approves the publication of a Hamas propaganda video released earlier today featuring him, although the family of hostage Yosef-Haim Ohana, who appears alongside him, has yet to do so.
In a statement, Bohbot’s family says they can see “in the video that he is in bad shape, that he has lost a lot of weight from continued starvation, that he is suffering from problems with his skin and his breathing,” noting that he suffers from asthma and “hasn’t seen the light of day for almost a year and a half!” Bohbot’s family adds that the video is “further proof that Elkana has to return home to his family, to his wife Rivka and his son Re’em David. Elkana is screaming for help and screaming that we don’t forget him in the tunnels of hell.”
His family issues an appeal to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump to “think that this is your son, your father or your grandson, who is waiting to see the light of day.”
In the clip, the hostages beg freed captive Ohad Ben-Ami, who was held alongside them during captivity, to speak out about their horrible conditions inside the tunnel. video of the hostages Elkana Buchbot and Yosef Haim Ohana in Hamas captivity
After mention in Hamas hostage video, freed captive Ohad Ben Ami vows to bring them home
After he was mentioned by name by hostages Elkana Bohbot and Yosef-Haim Ohana in a Hamas propaganda video, released hostage Ohad Ben Ami says he will not rest until all of the captives are returned home.
“I love you and I miss you and the other three hostages who for now I can’t say their names,” Ben Ami writes in a Facebook post, saying he saw the video clip where Bohbot and Ohana beg for him to speak up about their conditions in captivity.
“They fear for their lives, they are lacking all hope and as we speak the conditions of their captivity are being worsened and their food is being reduced since we returned to fighting [in Gaza],” writes Ben Ami, who says he is currently in Germany as part of efforts to lobby for their release.
Ben Ami demands that every hostage returns home, “not today, but already yesterday! Even if it means an immediate stop to the fighting.” He says that Israel can always deal with Hamas later, but the hostages must be brought home now, “as it is not certain that they will continue to live in the coming days, since they are in constant danger of death from the moment the fighting resumed.”
He promises to “do everything in my power to bring you and all the hostages home to your families alive!!!”
**Hostage Families Report: Minister Dermer Refuses to Meet with Them**
Numerous families of hostages have reported that Minister Ron Dermer has consistently refused to meet with them. In the past, these families had full access to the heads of the negotiation teams, including the Mossad chief and Nitzan Alon. Meanwhile, a campaign against the minister has been published in several newspapers.
Many hostage families have reported Minister Dermer’s repeated refusal to meet with them, as we reported yesterday (Monday) in *The Early Edition*. Among these families are the relatives of the late Amiram Cooper, Ruby Chen (father of kidnapped soldier Itay Chen), Matan Tzengauker, Matan Angrest, Idan Alexander, the late Tal Haimi, and others.
Previously, the families had full access to the heads of the negotiation team, including the Mossad chief and Nitzan Alon, who led the talks on Israel’s behalf in Qatar and Egypt. Additionally, Trump’s envoy to the region, Avi Berkowitz, has repeatedly noted that hostage families were given his personal number and maintained continuous contact with him.
At the same time, a campaign was launched this morning in several newspapers, including *Israel Hayom* and *Yedioth Ahronoth*, with a front-page headline reading: **"Dermer, 59 or Resign."** The headline conveys the message that the minister is responsible for bringing home the 59 remaining hostages—and if he fails, according to the ad’s publishers (the Hostage Families Headquarters), he should resign.
Protesters in Favor of a Hostage Deal** (Photo: Yonatan Sindel, Flash 90)Hostage Families’ Campaign Against Ron Dermer** (Photo: Israel Hayom)In response, the Prime Minister’s Office stated that Dermer has met separately with four families at their request and that additional meetings will be scheduled as soon as possible. They emphasized that when immediate meetings are not possible, the minister is briefed and receives updates directly.
The families, however, claim they have repeatedly sent messages to Dermer requesting meetings, and the issue appears to be systemic rather than isolated to one or two cases. The sensitive matter of the families’ meetings with Dermer has become a focal point of tension, as the families feel cut off from information and updates regarding the fate of their kidnapped loved ones—especially amid renewed fighting and ongoing negotiations filled with uncertainty.
In *Weekend News*, we reported sharp criticism from within the negotiation team regarding its management. **"It’s nice to call this diplomatic negotiations, but at the end of the day, there’s work to be done—and it’s not with the U.S.," said sources familiar with the talks who spoke with *Channel 12 News*. "The Dermer-Berkowitz axis has failed. We need professionals who act swiftly, respond quickly to developments, and don’t drag things out. Just having Trump’s understanding isn’t enough."
Former cabinet member Gadi Eisenkot also commented on Dermer’s handling of the negotiations: "He’s not functioning; he needs to be replaced. We need someone who can deal with this 24/7, invest energy into it, and not just hold a discussion once every two weeks."
About a week and a half ago, Lishay Levie Miron, the wife of hostage Omri Miron, addressed Dermer: **"As head of the negotiation team, if they don’t return on their feet now—but in coffins, or if hostages become the next Ron Arad—the blood and abandonment will be on your hands. After six months of trying to schedule a meeting with you through the proper channels, I’m giving up and writing to you here because my Omri doesn’t have any more time to wait. Omri is enduring torture, starvation, and humiliation day after day, hour after hour. My daughters, Roni and Alma, can’t go on without their father. Without knowing his fate. Every morning I wake up asking: When will Dad Omri return from Gaza? I can’t stay silent any longer."
Key Notes:
1. **"59 or Resign"** – Refers to the 59 remaining hostages and the demand for Dermer to secure their release or step down.
2. **"Ron Arad"** – An Israeli pilot whose fate remains unknown after being captured in 1986, symbolizing the fear of hostages being lost forever.
3. **"Dermer-Berkowitz axis"** – The collaboration between Ron Dermer and Trump’s envoy, criticized as ineffective. link Netanyahu appointed Dermer to lead the negotiations because he wanted HIS MAN on the inside running things. He knows that with Dermer, all of his directions and limits will be followed to the T as opposed to the previous heads of the negotiations who wanted to bring the hostages home above all. Dermer is protective of Netanyahu and won't allow any negotiation to occur that works against Netanyahu's personal interest, nor will he enable bad publicity for Netanyahu. That is why Netanyahu rarely meets with Hostage families and why Dermer is following suit. Both of them are in the wrong place as neither of them have the interests of the hostages, the public or the state as central to all they do. It is all about Netanyahu and the hostages be damned.
Opposition holds up signs for hostages during Knesset budget vote
Opposition lawmakers stand up and hold up signs bearing the number 59, a reference to the number of Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza, as the Knesset votes on reservations to the 2025 state budget.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana continues to lead the session, without pausing, as the MKs scream and wave their signs. video Netanyahu and his failed government have done everything to take the focus off of the hostages and the war. The opposition is reminding them of what is important
Herzog says country has lost focus on the hostages
Netanyahu’s difficulties are behind the return of war in GazaThe country has lost focus on the hostages in Gaza, laments President Isaac Herzog, speaking at the Defense Ministry Rehabilitation Department’s first international conference.
“I am quite shocked how suddenly the issue of the hostages is no longer at the top of the priority list and at the top of the news — how can this be?” he says. “We must, throughout this entire time, not lose eye contact, as a nation and of course as a governing system, with everything related to bringing the hostages home, down to the last one.”
Herzog also argues that the law currently does not provide adequate support for freed hostages and their families. link Everything that Herzog said is true and very deliberate on the part of Netanyahu and his failed government. Netanyahu thrives on creating chaos. It suits him in order to deflect the most important issues that he doesn't want to deal with and make him look bad, i.e. the hostages. So he and his cronies create multiple mini crises to take the focus away from the hostages, from the situation in Gaza that is of Netanyahu's creation, the face that our soldiers are going back into Gaza and tens of thousands of reservists who have already served hundreds of days over the last year and a half are being called back for the fourth and fifth reserve duty, the firing of the head of the Shin Bet and the Attorney General, and the list goes on. All this is for the benefit of the most dangerous and corrupt prime minister in our history.
Gaza and the South
- Political turmoil in Israel helps explain the collapse of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas.
A fortnight ago, we published a conversation with Israeli analyst and mediator Gershon Baskin entitled ‘The truce is over’ ('La tregua è finita', available in Italian here). To some that seemed rash. But it was not born of prescience or excessive pessimism. Rather, it came from the simple consideration that a plan for the future of Gaza was far from worked out, and domestic political reasons seemed to stand in the way of achieving an effective and lasting peace.
The difficulties on the Israeli side in moving to phase two of the truce, as planned in the agreement of 19 January, did not bode well. The fact that the transition to phase two was highly hypothetical was moreover indicated by the pressure exerted by the representatives of the extreme religious nationalist right, represented by ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, indispensable in guaranteeing a parliamentary majority for Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
Equally, dialogue between the parties was hampered by US President Trump's shock proposal to push Gaza's Palestinians to migrate to other Arab countries. This was a proposal that had aroused the disapproval of a large part of the international community and, in this country, of the Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, who on 13 February firmly declared the Holy See's opposition to any form of ‘deportation’.
Unfortunately, Baskin's prediction turned out to be right, and the Israeli armed forces (now commanded by General Eyar Zamir, who is considered much closer to Netanyahu than his predecessor Herzi Halevi was) have unilaterally begun a new military campaign, which began with aerial bombardments and is continuing in these hours with the use of ground troops and armoured vehicles. As I write, the number of victims has reportedly already reached almost 800, with a significant number of children. The videos that reach us from the few reporters left in the strip are gruesome and show desperate mothers in front of the bodies of children, even babies, buried in the rubble. Hamas responded by launching rockets towards Tel Aviv (for the first time in months), just after rockets launched by the Houthis in Yemen were intercepted.
Meanwhile, Israel is experiencing high internal tension. The street demonstrations against the Netanyahu government were massive, and the police reacted by using water cannons to disperse the crowds. Israeli citizens are concerned that the resumption of bombing in Gaza may jeopardise the release of the Israeli hostages still in the hands of Hamas inside Gaza.
But in the last few hours another heavy cloud has appeared over the government. This is the feud that is pitting it against the head of the internal intelligence service, Shin Bet, whom Netanyahu wants to force to resign, despite the disagreement of Israel's top court. The intelligence service allegedly presented an analysis before 7 October warning the executive about the possibility of an event such as the one that actually occurred, which Netanyahu deliberately ignored. The Shin Bet report allegedly highlighted the dangerousness of the prime minister's policy of allowing the passage of substantial Qatari funding to Hamas, in the belief that this ‘favour’ would prevent Hamas from carrying out major attacks against Israel. In recent hours, the Israeli press and TV have revealed that Shin Bet investigations would prove the transfer of sums of money from Qatar to Netanyahu's military affairs spokesman, Eli Feldestein.
Qatar’s murky role had already been pointed out a year ago in these pages by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Yigal Carmon, an intelligence expert and now president of the Memri Institute. Feldestein had already been arrested last November on charges of having stolen classified information and passed it on to foreign media. The former prime minister, also a right-wing politician, yesterday demanded Netanyahu's immediate resignation, accusing him of ‘treason’ and of having ‘lost the moral authority to send soldiers to the front’, given the fact that one of his closest collaborators was in fact salaried by Qatar, i.e. by Hamas' financiers.
The impression that pressure on Netanyahu is now at an all-time high is confirmed by the unexpected statements made by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, known for his cautious style. Herzog, while not naming Netanyahu, criticised a ‘divisive and one-sided’ style, adding that ‘it is not possible not to be concerned about the harsh reality that is before our eyes. Thousands of recall cards have been sent to reservists recently, but it is inconceivable to send our sons to the front while at the same time controversial moves are being pursued that deepen internal divisions’. He went on to say: ‘It is impossible to resume fighting to fulfil the sacred command to bring the hostages home, and at the same time not listen to and support their desperate families going through hell on earth’. Herzog went on to express his support for the families' demand for an independent enquiry into the events of 7 October, that Netanyahu has always rejected. And he expressed his solidarity with the civil servants affected by unilateral measures, with clear reference to the dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet. These statements were immediately taken up by the large number of protestors who demonstrated in the evening in Jerusalem against the dismissal of Ronen Bar and the unilateral end to the ceasefire in Gaza. link
- IDF says it destroyed more than 100 pickup trucks in Gaza used by Hamas
A Toyota pickup truck ablaze in Gaza after an IDF raid, March 24, 2025. (X, used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law)
The IDF says it destroyed over 100 pickup trucks used by Hamas terrorists in airstrikes across the Gaza Strip today.
The trucks were used by Hamas in its October 7, 2023, terror onslaught in southern Israel, as well as for other operations in Gaza, including to transfer weapons, the army says.
Armed Hamas gunmen were also seen parading in the vehicles during recent hostage release propaganda ceremonies.
The airstrikes targeting the pickup trucks were carried out in all areas of Gaza. One strike hit a building where several pickup trucks were being stored, the military adds
- Al Jazeera reporter identified by IDF as Hamas operative killed in strike
Gaza media reports that Hossam Shabat, an Al Jazeera channel reporter in northern Gaza, was killed in an Israeli airstrike while he was in his car.
A short time before that, Gaza media reported that Mohamad Mansor, a reporter in Falstin Al-Yom channel of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad was also killed in a strike.
Last October, the IDF said it had uncovered documents in the Gaza Strip that showed that Shabat is a sniper in Hamas’s Beit Hanoun Battalion.
There is no official comment from the IDF at this time.
- IDF arrests around 30 suspects in Rafah, kills approximately 20 terror operatives
Displaced Palestinians, fleeing the city of Rafah amid ongoing Israeli military operations, arrive in Khan Younis, Gaza, on March 23, 2025. (AP/Abdel Kareem Hana)
IDF troops have detained some 30 suspects during operations in Rafah’s Tel Sultan neighborhood in the southern Gaza Strip, including a terrorist who participated in the October 7 onslaught, according to military sources.
Tel Sultan was encircled by the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade yesterday in a four-hour-long offensive. During the operation, the IDF estimates that some 20 terror operatives were killed, including in airstrikes.
The troops also raided a Hamas command center in the neighborhood, the IDF says.
The IDF’s Gaza Division continues to operate in the Rafah area and on the outskirts of Khan Younis. The military says the operation is intended to expand a buffer zone along the border with the Strip.
- UN says it is pulling approximately a third of its staffers from Gaza
The United Nations says it will “reduce its footprint” in the Gaza Strip after an Israeli tank strike hit one of its compounds last week, killing one staffer and wounding five others.
Israel has denied it was behind the March 19 explosion at the UN guesthouse in central Gaza. In a statement today, UN Secretary-General spokesman Stéphane Dujarric says that “based on the information currently available,” the strikes on the site “were caused by an Israeli tank.”
The IDF did not immediately comment.
Dujarric says the UN “has made the difficult decision to reduce the organization’s footprint in Gaza, even as humanitarian needs soar.”
He says the world body is cutting back about a third of its approximately 100 international staffers in Gaza. He says the UN “is not leaving Gaza,” pointing out that it still has about 13,000 national staff in Gaza, mainly working for UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
IDF issues evacuation warning for Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun after rocket fire at Sderot
Following rocket fire by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad from the northern Gaza Strip on Sderot and nearby communities a short while ago, the IDF issues an evacuation warning for Palestinians in the Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun areas, where the two projectiles were fired from.
In a post on X, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, publishes a map of the area that is to be evacuated, saying that it is a “final warning” before the IDF carries out strikes there.
Military confirms accidentally firing on Red Cross building today in Gaza, says it is investigating
The military says it is investigating after its tanks shelled an office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Rafah in southern Gaza earlier today.
According to the IDF, troops operating in Rafah opened fire on a building after spotting suspects in it and believed it to be a threat.
“After an examination, it emerged that the identification was incorrect, and the building belongs to the Red Cross,” the army says.
The IDF says that the troops did not know the building belonged to the Red Cross when they opened fire on it. This is despite the organization’s flag flying over the building.
No injuries were caused in the incident, but damage was caused to the building.
The military says the incident is under further investigation.
Northern Israel - Lebanon/Hizbollah/Syria
A fortnight ago, we published a conversation with Israeli analyst and mediator Gershon Baskin entitled ‘The truce is over’ ('La tregua è finita', available in Italian here). To some that seemed rash. But it was not born of prescience or excessive pessimism. Rather, it came from the simple consideration that a plan for the future of Gaza was far from worked out, and domestic political reasons seemed to stand in the way of achieving an effective and lasting peace.
The difficulties on the Israeli side in moving to phase two of the truce, as planned in the agreement of 19 January, did not bode well. The fact that the transition to phase two was highly hypothetical was moreover indicated by the pressure exerted by the representatives of the extreme religious nationalist right, represented by ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, indispensable in guaranteeing a parliamentary majority for Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
Equally, dialogue between the parties was hampered by US President Trump's shock proposal to push Gaza's Palestinians to migrate to other Arab countries. This was a proposal that had aroused the disapproval of a large part of the international community and, in this country, of the Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, who on 13 February firmly declared the Holy See's opposition to any form of ‘deportation’.
Unfortunately, Baskin's prediction turned out to be right, and the Israeli armed forces (now commanded by General Eyar Zamir, who is considered much closer to Netanyahu than his predecessor Herzi Halevi was) have unilaterally begun a new military campaign, which began with aerial bombardments and is continuing in these hours with the use of ground troops and armoured vehicles. As I write, the number of victims has reportedly already reached almost 800, with a significant number of children. The videos that reach us from the few reporters left in the strip are gruesome and show desperate mothers in front of the bodies of children, even babies, buried in the rubble. Hamas responded by launching rockets towards Tel Aviv (for the first time in months), just after rockets launched by the Houthis in Yemen were intercepted.
Meanwhile, Israel is experiencing high internal tension. The street demonstrations against the Netanyahu government were massive, and the police reacted by using water cannons to disperse the crowds. Israeli citizens are concerned that the resumption of bombing in Gaza may jeopardise the release of the Israeli hostages still in the hands of Hamas inside Gaza.
But in the last few hours another heavy cloud has appeared over the government. This is the feud that is pitting it against the head of the internal intelligence service, Shin Bet, whom Netanyahu wants to force to resign, despite the disagreement of Israel's top court. The intelligence service allegedly presented an analysis before 7 October warning the executive about the possibility of an event such as the one that actually occurred, which Netanyahu deliberately ignored. The Shin Bet report allegedly highlighted the dangerousness of the prime minister's policy of allowing the passage of substantial Qatari funding to Hamas, in the belief that this ‘favour’ would prevent Hamas from carrying out major attacks against Israel. In recent hours, the Israeli press and TV have revealed that Shin Bet investigations would prove the transfer of sums of money from Qatar to Netanyahu's military affairs spokesman, Eli Feldestein.
Qatar’s murky role had already been pointed out a year ago in these pages by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Yigal Carmon, an intelligence expert and now president of the Memri Institute. Feldestein had already been arrested last November on charges of having stolen classified information and passed it on to foreign media. The former prime minister, also a right-wing politician, yesterday demanded Netanyahu's immediate resignation, accusing him of ‘treason’ and of having ‘lost the moral authority to send soldiers to the front’, given the fact that one of his closest collaborators was in fact salaried by Qatar, i.e. by Hamas' financiers.
The impression that pressure on Netanyahu is now at an all-time high is confirmed by the unexpected statements made by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, known for his cautious style. Herzog, while not naming Netanyahu, criticised a ‘divisive and one-sided’ style, adding that ‘it is not possible not to be concerned about the harsh reality that is before our eyes. Thousands of recall cards have been sent to reservists recently, but it is inconceivable to send our sons to the front while at the same time controversial moves are being pursued that deepen internal divisions’. He went on to say: ‘It is impossible to resume fighting to fulfil the sacred command to bring the hostages home, and at the same time not listen to and support their desperate families going through hell on earth’. Herzog went on to express his support for the families' demand for an independent enquiry into the events of 7 October, that Netanyahu has always rejected. And he expressed his solidarity with the civil servants affected by unilateral measures, with clear reference to the dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet. These statements were immediately taken up by the large number of protestors who demonstrated in the evening in Jerusalem against the dismissal of Ronen Bar and the unilateral end to the ceasefire in Gaza. link
The United Nations says it will “reduce its footprint” in the Gaza Strip after an Israeli tank strike hit one of its compounds last week, killing one staffer and wounding five others.
Israel has denied it was behind the March 19 explosion at the UN guesthouse in central Gaza. In a statement today, UN Secretary-General spokesman Stéphane Dujarric says that “based on the information currently available,” the strikes on the site “were caused by an Israeli tank.”
The IDF did not immediately comment.
Dujarric says the UN “has made the difficult decision to reduce the organization’s footprint in Gaza, even as humanitarian needs soar.”
He says the world body is cutting back about a third of its approximately 100 international staffers in Gaza. He says the UN “is not leaving Gaza,” pointing out that it still has about 13,000 national staff in Gaza, mainly working for UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.
IDF issues evacuation warning for Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun after rocket fire at Sderot
Following rocket fire by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad from the northern Gaza Strip on Sderot and nearby communities a short while ago, the IDF issues an evacuation warning for Palestinians in the Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun areas, where the two projectiles were fired from.
In a post on X, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, publishes a map of the area that is to be evacuated, saying that it is a “final warning” before the IDF carries out strikes there.
Military confirms accidentally firing on Red Cross building today in Gaza, says it is investigating
The military says it is investigating after its tanks shelled an office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Rafah in southern Gaza earlier today.
According to the IDF, troops operating in Rafah opened fire on a building after spotting suspects in it and believed it to be a threat.
“After an examination, it emerged that the identification was incorrect, and the building belongs to the Red Cross,” the army says.
The IDF says that the troops did not know the building belonged to the Red Cross when they opened fire on it. This is despite the organization’s flag flying over the building.
No injuries were caused in the incident, but damage was caused to the building.
The military says the incident is under further investigation.
- Lebanese leaders in contact with US, France, to prevent Israeli strikes on Beirut
Smoke at the site of reported Israeli artillery shelling of a Hezbollah target in the Lebanese village of Yohmor, in response to earlier rocket fire on Metula, March 22, 2025. (Rabih DAHER / AFP)
Lebanese leaders have been in intensive contact with Washington and Paris to prevent Israel from bombing Beirut, a Lebanese official says, after Israel responded to rocket fire on Saturday morning with strikes on the country.
It was the first time rockets were fired from Lebanon since a ceasefire took effect on November 27.
The official, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, says Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam “made diplomatic contact with France and the United States… as well as with the UN, to achieve de-escalation following Israeli threats to target Beirut.”
The US, France, and the United Nations belong to a ceasefire monitoring mechanism.
During two months of full-scale war leading up to the ceasefire, Israeli airstrikes pounded the south Beirut bastion of Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group but sometimes also struck in the city center.
Salam “emphasized the need to control security and prevent a repeat of rocket fire” against Israel, the official adds.
No party has claimed responsibility for the rocket fire, which a military source said was launched from an area north of the Litani River, between the villages of Kfar Tebnit and Arnoun, near the zone covered by the ceasefire agreement.
- IDF says it struck ‘remaining military capabilities’ at pair of Syrian airbases
The Israel Defense Forces announces that it just struck “remaining military capabilities” at the Palmyra and T-4 airbases in Syria, several days after similarly targeting both airfields.
“The IDF will continue to act to remove any threat to Israeli citizens,” says a statement from the military.
IDF says drone strike in Lebanon killed Hezbollah anti-tank commander
An Israeli drone strike last night in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh killed a Hezbollah commander, the military says.
The IDF says it targeted and killed Hassan Kamal Halawi, chief of Hezbollah’s anti-tank missile unit in southern Lebanon.
“During the war, Halawi was responsible for numerous terror attacks against the State of Israel. He facilitated the movement of operatives and the supply of weapons into southern Lebanon. In recent months, Halawi continued to engage in terrorist activity against Israeli civilians,” the army says in statement.
The IDF adds that he was targeted because he posed a threat to Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces announces that it just struck “remaining military capabilities” at the Palmyra and T-4 airbases in Syria, several days after similarly targeting both airfields.
“The IDF will continue to act to remove any threat to Israeli citizens,” says a statement from the military.
IDF says drone strike in Lebanon killed Hezbollah anti-tank commander
The IDF says it targeted and killed Hassan Kamal Halawi, chief of Hezbollah’s anti-tank missile unit in southern Lebanon.
“During the war, Halawi was responsible for numerous terror attacks against the State of Israel. He facilitated the movement of operatives and the supply of weapons into southern Lebanon. In recent months, Halawi continued to engage in terrorist activity against Israeli civilians,” the army says in statement.
The IDF adds that he was targeted because he posed a threat to Israel.
West Bank and Jerusalem and Terror attacks within Israel
- Oscar-winning Palestinian activist among those arrested amid clashes with settlers in Susya
Palestinian sources report that dozens of settlers arrived this evening near the village of Susya in the southern West Bank and threw stones at residents, cars and houses. According to the police, Palestinians responded by throwing stones back.
Footage from the scene shows a masked individual throwing stones and attacking Palestinians and hitting the car of activists who had come to assist the residents. According to a Palestinian at the scene, another Palestinian vehicle was also damaged by stones.
Four Palestinians were injured by stones, most of them lightly, according to eyewitnesses. Police say that three Palestinians were arrested.
One eyewitness reports that Hamdan Ballal, one of the creators of the Oscar-winning film “No Other Land,” was among the arrested and injured. He was hit in the head by a stone, and his condition remains unclear.
An Israeli minor was also arrested, but was released due to injuries from a rock, and will be summoned for questioning by the police at a later time, they said. There was no immediate response from the IDF. Video of Settlers attack Palestinians and international activists in Masafer Yatta
Palestinian shot after attempted car ramming in West Bank — Police
Police say a Palestinian man was shot after attempting to ram his car into an officer near the Wet Bank Settlement of Ma’ale Adumim.
Police say the man attempted to flee in his vehicle and was shot at a nearby roadblock.
His condition was not immediately clear.
The police officers were not hurt.
Palestinian sources report that dozens of settlers arrived this evening near the village of Susya in the southern West Bank and threw stones at residents, cars and houses. According to the police, Palestinians responded by throwing stones back.
Footage from the scene shows a masked individual throwing stones and attacking Palestinians and hitting the car of activists who had come to assist the residents. According to a Palestinian at the scene, another Palestinian vehicle was also damaged by stones.
Four Palestinians were injured by stones, most of them lightly, according to eyewitnesses. Police say that three Palestinians were arrested.
One eyewitness reports that Hamdan Ballal, one of the creators of the Oscar-winning film “No Other Land,” was among the arrested and injured. He was hit in the head by a stone, and his condition remains unclear.
An Israeli minor was also arrested, but was released due to injuries from a rock, and will be summoned for questioning by the police at a later time, they said. There was no immediate response from the IDF. Video of Settlers attack Palestinians and international activists in Masafer Yatta
Palestinian shot after attempted car ramming in West Bank — Police
Police say the man attempted to flee in his vehicle and was shot at a nearby roadblock.
His condition was not immediately clear.
The police officers were not hurt.
Politics and the War (general news)
- Ben Gvir denies physical confrontation with Shin Bet chief during security meeting
- Ben Gvir denies physical confrontation with Shin Bet chief during security meeting
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir denies media reports that Mossad head David Barnea and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir were forced to intervene to prevent a physical confrontation between him and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar at a security consultation last night.
While Ben Gvir has confirmed confronting Bar during the meeting, as initially reported, he vehemently denies a new Channel 12 report stating that the two men had to be kept separate as he “lost his temper,” requiring intervention by Barnea and Zamir.
The confrontation came in the wake of a previous Channel 12 report that the Shin Bet conducted a covert probe into the possible infiltration of extreme-right elements into the Israel Police following suspected political meddling in the force by Ben Gvir’s office.
“Any statement that even hints at a physical confrontation in the room between Minister Ben Gvir and Ronen Bar, or an attempt at such a confrontation, is not only a spin designed to divert attention from the political and mafia investigation that Bar has led but also constitutes defamation,” Ben Gvir’s office says in a statement.
“A number of reporters published the lie and were forced to publish a clarification or delete it. The minister clarifies that any false publication on the subject will result in a defamation lawsuit,” the statement continues.
Ben Gvir admits that he sharply criticized and raised his voice against Bar, but says that there was “no incident that came close to a physical confrontation. This is a complete lie.”
Addressing reporters in the Knesset earlier today, Ben Gvir accused Bar of collecting intelligence on Police Commissioner Daniel Levy, stating that he “should sit in prison” for having “conspired” against Israeli democracy.
Gantz: Menachem Begin is ‘spinning in his grave’ over Netanyahu’s actions The late prime minister Menachem Begin, founder of the Likud party, is “spinning in his grave” over the behavior of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, National Unity chairman Benny Gantz avers, arguing that growing divisions in Israeli society pose a threat to national security.
Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis are once again firing rockets and missiles at Israel, “terrorism is hitting us in the heart of the country” and “despite all the military achievements and American backing, Iran is not advancing a nuclear agreement,” he says,
“Anyone who ignores it now is knowingly harming the country’s security,” he continues, slamming Netanyahu for taking action against Israeli institutions.
“Prime Minister, what are you doing? The firing of the head of the Shin Bet, the firing of the attorney general, the return to the coup d’état, talk about the deep state, and working against the state institutions, the passage of the evasion law and the evasion budgets are how we tear the people apart and give a gift to our enemies,” Gantz continues.
“Instead of taking advantage of the backing we receive from the White House, we are dismantling our own house,” he says, calling on Netanyahu to resign.
“There is no deep state, and we have no other country,” Gantz says, arguing in favor of “a broad, Zionist consensus government.”
“The prime minister said on Friday that there will be no civil war. I remind him that Menachem Begin did not just speak, he acted. He did what was right for the people during the war and his friends paid a bloody price. Netanyahu is not even willing to pay a political price. Begin is spinning in his grave when he sees what Netanyahu says about the supremacy of the law,” Gantz says — promising to “follow Begin’s path.”
In 1948, Begin refused to allow followers of his Irgun militia to fire back at forces loyal to prime minister David Ben Gurion during the sinking of the Altalena, an Irgun arms ship, instead stating that his men would “not raise arms against fellow Jews” and would “not start a civil war, no matter the provocation.”
In an apparent effort to project harmony within the party, National Unity MK Gadi Eisenkot addresses the press following Gantz, arguing that, since October 7, “no war aims have been achieved” and that the government is instead “focused on its struggle against the gatekeepers and the justice system.”
Tensions have been growing between Gantz and Eisenkot, who polls show enjoys mounting support to replace Gantz as the head of the National Unity party. According to the Haaretz daily, Eisenkot is seeking to unite center-left parties in the next elections, possibly under his leadership, in a bid to prevent former prime minister Naftali Bennett — widely expected to run — from winning opposition votes.
- Anti-government protesters continue to rally near prime minister’s residence
Anti-government protests continue on Jerusalem’s Azza Street throughout the day and night, bolstered by protesters arriving from Haifa in the morning. Singer Achinoam Nini joined the drummers in the evening near the prime minister’s private residence, where the protests have taken place every night.
The demonstrators chant, “We, the majority, have returned to the street!”
The louder, more raucous evening protest follows the silent Shift 101 sit-in participants who sat on the asphalt all afternoon, calling for the return of the hostages. Later, a “teach-in” about the law and the role of the attorney general was held in light of the unanimous cabinet vote yesterday in favor of a no-confidence motion against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
- IDF says troops attacked in southern Syria, returned fire; local officials say 5 dead
The IDF says that troops operating in southern Syria identified several armed men that opened fire on the Israeli forces.
In a short statement, the military says troops returned fire and a drone carried out a strike.
The military says that it identified hitting the targets.
Syrian officials report that at least five people were killed in the incident that took place in Kuya village near Dara in south Syria.
- Golan slams Knesset speaker call to prosecute protesters — let him look in the mirror
Anti-government protests continue on Jerusalem’s Azza Street throughout the day and night, bolstered by protesters arriving from Haifa in the morning. Singer Achinoam Nini joined the drummers in the evening near the prime minister’s private residence, where the protests have taken place every night.
The demonstrators chant, “We, the majority, have returned to the street!”
The louder, more raucous evening protest follows the silent Shift 101 sit-in participants who sat on the asphalt all afternoon, calling for the return of the hostages. Later, a “teach-in” about the law and the role of the attorney general was held in light of the unanimous cabinet vote yesterday in favor of a no-confidence motion against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.
The IDF says that troops operating in southern Syria identified several armed men that opened fire on the Israeli forces.
In a short statement, the military says troops returned fire and a drone carried out a strike.
The military says that it identified hitting the targets.
Syrian officials report that at least five people were killed in the incident that took place in Kuya village near Dara in south Syria.
Responding to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana’s call to prosecute six protesters who blocked the entrance to the Knesset, The Democrats chief Yair Golan tweets that if the Likud politician “is looking to arrest and prosecute those who harm the democratic process, let him look in the mirror.”
“It is not the protesters in favor of the rule of law who are harming democracy, but this government that is looting the state treasury and transferring budget funds only to evaders, the corrupt and loyalists,” he writes.
“Democracy is not seizing power by force. Democracy is not turning the budget into a tool in the hands of a jealous and disconnected group. Democracy is responsibility, equality and respect for human life,” Golan continues — arguing that “this government lost its mandate a long time ago.”
“If Amir Ohana is truly concerned about the democratic process, let him resign. Let him return the mandate to the people [which will] choose its leaders and a better future.”
The Region and the World
- Qatar condemns new Israeli measures on Gaza emigration, West Bank development
Qatar harshly rejects recently approved policies in Israel regarding the relocation of Gazans and bolstering of West Bank settlements.
“The State of Qatar condemns, in the strongest terms, the Israeli occupation’s announcement to establish an agency targeting the displacement of Palestinian brothers from the Gaza Strip, as well as its approval of the separation of 13 illegal settlement neighborhoods in the West Bank,” announces Doha’s Foreign Ministry on X.
“Any form of Palestinian displacement constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. Furthermore, the expansion of settlements represents a blatant disregard for international legitimacy,” the post continues.
Last night, the security cabinet approved a proposal by Defense Minister Israel Katz to establish a new administration in the Defense Ministry tasked with enabling Palestinians to “voluntarily” leave the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, Katz’s office said the new directorate will work to “prepare for and enable safe and controlled passage of Gaza residents for their voluntary departure to third countries.”
The security cabinet also approved yesterday a decision to split off 13 so-called “neighborhoods” of existing West Bank settlements from their “mother settlements,” thereby turning them into 13 independent settlements.
Qatar calls “for strong international solidarity to hold the occupation accountable for complying with the will for peace and to immediately end the brutal war on the Gaza Strip,” reaffirming its support for “the Palestinian cause and the resilience of the Palestinian people, based on international legitimacy and the two-state solution.”
Personal Stories
"She Woke Up Half-Naked, Surrounded by 7 Terrorists": The Harrowing Testimony of Ilana Gritzewsky from Captivity
The former hostage revealed a chilling account of the sexual assaults and abuse she endured during the more than 50 days she was held by Hamas terrorists."I told them I was on my period—I felt they were disappointed. I’ve never been so grateful for that in my life."With a gun to her head, one terrorist threatened not to release her, saying he would marry her and have children with her.
Ilana Gritzewsky, who was kidnapped alongside her partner Matan Tzengauker and released in the first hostage deal, shared her story in an interview with The New York Times about the sexual violence she suffered during her captivity and abduction. She recounted the abuse she endured even on the way to Gaza—on the terrorists' motorcycle—and her desperate pleas for them not to sexually assault her.
Gritzewsky described being taken on a motorcycle between two terrorists, who pressed her leg against the exhaust pipe. During the ride, the terrorist sitting behind her slid his hand under her shirt and groped her. She said she lost consciousness before they even crossed the border into Gaza.
When she arrived in Gaza, she woke up lying on the ground, her shirt pulled up above her chest and her pants pulled down, surrounded by seven terrorists. She told them she was menstruating—which, she believes, saved her from even worse assault. "They hit me and lifted me up," she recounted in the interview.
Ilana Gritzewsky, Matan Tzengauker (Photo: Channel 12 News)
"I felt they were disappointed," she continued. "I don’t think I’ve ever been so thankful to be on my period." Over the 50+ days she was held captive in Gaza, she was moved from place to place, mostly in above-ground apartments. She said she was kept in private homes, a hospital, and even a tunnel shortly before her release. She told her captors she suffered from a chronic digestive disorder, but they provided no medication or medical treatment.
Gritzewsky said she was interrogated about her military service. One terrorist hugged her while pressing a gun to her head and told her that even if there were a deal, she wouldn’t be released "because he wanted to marry her and have children with her." She said one of her captors claimed to be a math teacher, while another said he was a lawyer. They also stole her bracelet and earrings.
A Second Birthday in Captivity: Ilana Gritzewsky, Matan Tzengauker’s girlfriend, spent her birthday as a hostage (Video: News 12)
Ilana tried to ask her captors about Matan, describing him as a hostage with long hair. One confirmed they were holding someone matching that description and even knew he was from Ofakim (his family’s hometown). Yet at no point was she allowed to see him during captivity.
This testimony is a stark reminder of the systematic sexual violence and dehumanization perpetrated by Hamas against hostages. link
Qatar harshly rejects recently approved policies in Israel regarding the relocation of Gazans and bolstering of West Bank settlements.
“The State of Qatar condemns, in the strongest terms, the Israeli occupation’s announcement to establish an agency targeting the displacement of Palestinian brothers from the Gaza Strip, as well as its approval of the separation of 13 illegal settlement neighborhoods in the West Bank,” announces Doha’s Foreign Ministry on X.
“Any form of Palestinian displacement constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law. Furthermore, the expansion of settlements represents a blatant disregard for international legitimacy,” the post continues.
Last night, the security cabinet approved a proposal by Defense Minister Israel Katz to establish a new administration in the Defense Ministry tasked with enabling Palestinians to “voluntarily” leave the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, Katz’s office said the new directorate will work to “prepare for and enable safe and controlled passage of Gaza residents for their voluntary departure to third countries.”
The security cabinet also approved yesterday a decision to split off 13 so-called “neighborhoods” of existing West Bank settlements from their “mother settlements,” thereby turning them into 13 independent settlements.
Qatar calls “for strong international solidarity to hold the occupation accountable for complying with the will for peace and to immediately end the brutal war on the Gaza Strip,” reaffirming its support for “the Palestinian cause and the resilience of the Palestinian people, based on international legitimacy and the two-state solution.”
Acronyms and Glossary
ICC - International Criminal Court in the Hague
IJC - International Court of Justice in the Hague
MDA - Magen David Adom - Israel Ambulance Corp
PA - Palestinian Authority - President Mahmud Abbas, aka Abu Mazen
PMO- Prime Minister's Office
UAV - Unmanned Aerial vehicle, Drone. Could be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, or be weaponized with missiles or contain explosives for 'suicide' explosion mission
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